Holtage
by Shattered Aura
Summary: Pidge had lost her brother for years; both were happy to find each other after so long. Expect, Matt hadn't accounted for the possibility to lose his little sister again. (What if Pidge had been seriously injured during her fight with the bounty hunter?) Cross-posted on Ao3 under "ShatteredAura".


**A/N: Hey guys!**

 **I'm back with yet another Voltron one-shot! This time, I have a little Holt siblings story, because I absolutely love the beauty that is Matt Holt. Bless Dreamworks for having him live! I will always love me a good ol' Matt & Pidge fluffy moment. Beware: the fluff is real in this one!**

 **Disclaimer: Dreamworks owns Voltron: Legendary Defenders.**

 **Summary: Pidge had lost her brother for years; both were happy to find each other after so long. Expect, Matt hadn't accounted for the possibility to lose his little sister again. (What if Pidge had been seriously injured during her fight with the bounty hunter?)**

 **This is set in Season 4, Episode 2: "Reunion". The episode that all made us cry, let's be real. You're a Galra if you didn't shed a tear.**

 **Oh! A friendly little reminder that you should check out my two other Voltron stories, ' Nightmare' and 'Malfunction'! Thank you!**

 **Anyway, enough rambling! Let's get on with the story, shall we? Don't forget to R &R, but most importantly, enjoy!**

XxX

She landed on the rocky ground with a soft crunch as her jetpack slowed her down. She found herself floating a few inches above the ground as she quizzically murmured, "It's a dead end."

She looked around to see if anything stood out, and sure enough, a rock lay on the ground mere feet away from her, unmoving. She picked it up, letting it fall in front of her calculating eyes. It landed on the ground and wavered before remaining there, unlike the other rocks who floated past her. She narrowed her eyes. "Gravity?"

Without a second wasted, she began to scan the area. "Something must be generating gravity nearby." It only took a few seconds for her scanner to find a secret hatch in a nearby corner, which she successfully opened.

She stood in front of the hatch, hesitating before making her descent down into the laboratory. She landed on the floor with a soft thump and glanced left and right. She found herself standing in front of a screen, which immediately caught her attention. "This must be some kind of spy facility," she muttered as she stepped closer to it.

She stared at the screen to see if anything could help her find her brother, but just then, she caught the silhouette of a masked figure about to attack her from behind. She ducked as the figure swung their staff at her, narrowly avoiding her. She started running towards a pillar as the figure pursued, and she used the pillar and her jetpack to propel herself over them.

She summoned her bayard and launched her hook at the figure. The hook wrapped itself around the figure's staff and they pulled, making her fall on the ground with a grunt. She looked up and rolled away just in time as the figure's staff missed her again by a few inches. As the figure prepared to strike again, she angrily asked, "What have you done with my brother?!"

She took advantage of the figure's hesitation to launch her hook again, this time nailing them in the face, making their mask cling as it hit the floor several feet away. The figure grunted as they landed on their knees. She raced toward them with a battle cry, bayard poised to strike a second time—

They faced her. She gasped. Her hand, tightly clutching her bayard, hovered a few inches away from their face.

Both individuals remained in the same position for several seconds, staring at each other, awestruck. The figure, a man—a human—in his early twenties, spoke softly, with an undertone of disbelief and uncertainty. "Pidge?"

Her eyes remained widely trained on him. "Matt?"

She lowered her arm to her side and stored her bayard away as the man rose, standing a few feet taller than her. Without another word, the pair tightly embraced, tears flowing on their faces aged by worry about the other. "Oh my gosh," Pidge exclaimed. "Ever since the Kerberos mission, they said you were dead, but I knew in my heart that you weren't!"

"I can't believe you found me," Matt replied as his voice shook with emotion. "It doesn't seem possible!" He broke the embrace with his young sister and cupped her head with his two hands, his face illuminated by his smile.

She smiled back at him. "The thought of you and Dad kept me going, inspired me to do the impossible."

"Okay." Matt brought his hands to her shoulders. "But seriously, how'd you get this far into space?"

She glanced down, pondering her answer before staring her brother right in the eye. "It's a long story. Is there any chance you've heard of Voltron?"

His head perked up in confusion, wondering what it had to do with his sister. "Of course I've heard of Voltron."

Pidge bore a smug expression on her face. "Well...I'm one of the Paladins."

The young man's eyes widened. "No...no." He grinned as he internally began to geek out. "Seriously? You're a Paladin of Voltron?" He wrapped his arms around Pidge, trapping her in his embrace as he hoisted her up and swung her around. "That's so awesome!"

"What a touching reunion."

Matt immediately set Pidge on the ground as both siblings turned to face who had dared interrupt their moment. "Who are you?" the youngest Holt demanded as she summoned her bayard.

"Who I am is not important," the figure replied. "I am here to collect the bounty on your brother Matt. But a Paladin of Voltron and the Green Lion...what a day."

"Stand back Matt/Pidge," the siblings both exclaimed before glancing at each other. Pidge smirked. "Let's show this guy what the Holts are made of!"

The figure smirked. "Looks to me like you're made of meat," he summoned two electrical whips and charged, "like everyone else!"

Pidge jumped up to avoid the whips, but as she flew above the bounty hunter, he managed to nail her on her back, making her fall with a yell. Matt growled as he swung his staff at the figure. "Stay away from my sister!" The figure blocked Matt's attack with his whips, sending the man on the ground with a grunt.

"Both of you are worth more to me alive, but I'll take something over nothing!" The bounty hunter swung his whips at Matt and they wrapped around the older Holt's body, electrocuting him. He yelled out in pain.

Pidge, who had fully recovered from the first blow, launched her hook at the figure to grab his attention. He slightly leaned back to avoid getting hit in the face and grinned in triumph, but unbeknownst to him, she had been aiming for the pillar across from her. The hook stuck to the pillar and pulled her back, and she kicked the figure smack in the face with both feet. As he recoiled and shook his head, she landed on a beam a few feet above the ground.

He growled. "You'll have to do better than that!" He swung his whips to catch the beams and propelled himself towards Pidge. The chase began and Matt could only stare as the figure got closer and closer to hitting his little sister. He remained on his knees as bolts of green and red lightning shot from different pillars, getting higher and higher.

Finally, they collided and Pidge was sent falling toward the ground with a groan. Before she hit the ground, however, she activated her jetpack and flew farther away from the figure, who landed on the floor and thrust his whips in her direction.

Matt followed her with his eyes and something caught his eyes. "Pidge," he shouted, "the panel!"

She followed his line of sight as the bounty hunter kept striking, his whips getting dangerously closer. Unfortunately, neither Holt sibling had thought of the figure catching on to what their plan was, and the figure carefully aimed.

Pidge barely managed to open the panel before the whip caught her and wrapped itself around her waist, pinning her arms to her sides. The figure yanked her back and sent a surge of electricity through his whip. While her suit protected her from the worst of it, she still crumbled on her knees and gritted her teeth. "Ngh!"

The bounty hunter paid no attention to the other Holt, instead wondering how he could make the surge more painful. His eyes caught to the panel which was conveniently opened thanks to the green Paladin. He grinned and threw the handle of the whip wrapped around her toward the panel. With her eyes tightly shut and fighting against the pain, she didn't notice.

Matt did. "No!" he yelled as he hastily grabbed his staff and ran toward the bounty hunter. "Pidge, no!"

But he was too late.

The moment the handle struck the panel, the current increased tenfold.

Pidge's suit could not withstand such a surge.

She threw her head back and _howled_.

It pierced the air as her body severely jolted.

Matt saw red. "Son of a bitch!" he roared, charging at the bounty hunter.

The figure paid no mind to the oldest Holt, cackling at his victory. He still cackled as Matt drove his staff straight through his chest, still cackled as he crumbled to the floor, dying a slow, painful death. Still looked like he was cackling as his lifeless eyes stared back into Matt's vengeful irises.

Matt did not bat an eye. The fucker had messed with his sister; he deserved nothing less than death.

His eyes widened. His sister.

"Pidge!"

The whip, having lost its support, had detangled itself from Pidge's small frame, but the damage had been done. She lay crumpled on the floor, her nerves twitching, breath quick and uneven.

He sprinted toward her, skidding to a halt once he got close enough. He sank to his knees and cradled her body, stiff from the shock.

"Pidge," he hiccupped, tears welling up in his eyes. He held her carefully and tenderly as if she were made of porcelain.

"M-Matt," she wheezed. She mustered the strength to hold his hand despite her twitching limbs. Her hand was cold, yet she smiled warmly at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears. She struggled to keep them open.

God, she was so _tired_.

"Call me K-Katie," she whispered, reaching out to cup his cheek. "I-I want to hear you say it one more t-time..."

"K-Katie." He choked on a sob. "Stay with me...Voltron needs you! Dad needs you, I—I need you..."

A single tear streamed down the youngest Holt's cheek. She was going to die. She was going to die before she could save her father or see him one more time. She was going to die just as she had found Matt. It wasn't fair.

Matt read her thoughts, just like he did back on Earth. "You're not gonna die, Kate...you can't."

His voice was nothing more than a hoarse whisper, matching hers. She had to smile.

"At least I-I got to s-see you one m-more time," she said, her voice fading just as much as her energy.

The last thing she heard before passing out was Matt's anguished cry of, "Katie, _no!_ "

XxX

Of all the scenarios Shiro had conjured in his mind, this wasn't how he had pictured seeing Mathew Holt again.

The Green Lion came barreling down onto the surface of Olkarion, looking in top shape but flying unevenly. At first, the Black Paladin thought that perhaps Pidge's mission hadn't gone well; perhaps her lead had brought her to a dead end, literally speaking. Perhaps she was so perturbed that she couldn't fly Green.

All his theories flew out the window when Green's maw popped open and out came Mathew Holt, running out while holding his sister bridal style, crying for help. Shiro contacted Allura, telling her and Coran to get a pod ready for Pidge ASAP.

He caught up to Matt and quickly grabbed the young man's bicep. "Follow me!" he shouted, tugging Matt along toward where the Castle stood in all of its glory. The younger man clung to his sister, tears streaming down his face as he let Shiro tug him, only seeing the path in front of him with blurry vision anyway.

Now, Shiro stood in front of the pod, observing the sleeping—and healing—form of the Green Paladin. Matt had long passed out from stress and exhaustion, but the team had brought him pillows and blankets so he could remain by his sister's side even when unconscious.

The leader had to smile at that. The Hold siblings truly were two peas in a pod. If separated, they always found a way back to each other, no matter how long or how far.

Shiro was glad they had kept the streak going.

His thoughts were interrupted by a faint whimper. His first glance was toward Matt, but he quickly noted that the young man hadn't moved an inch and his face was as peaceful as it could be in a time of war.

A soft thump caught his attention. It came from inside the pod.

Pidge.

"Allura," he called through his com, "something's wrong with Pidge."

" _Coran and I are on our way._ "

He nodded to himself. Now all he had to do was wait.

However, it wasn't easy when the figure stuck inside the pod started to fidget and her whimpers became louder. Her face was scrunched up in discomfort, and her lips silently called out for someone.

They called for Matt.

Shiro kneeled next to the sleeping figure, shaking his shoulder. "Matt, wake up."

"Five more minutes, Dad," the older Holt muttered, curling up into himself.

"Matt," Shiro snapped, gripping the man's shoulder more forcefully. "Wake up, now. It's your sister."

That did it.

In less time than Shiro could say 'Galra', Matt was up and pressing his palm against the pod's glass case, muttering calm, soothing words. Unfortunately, they couldn't reach Pidge, and tears escaped her lids as she remained stuck in whatever hell her mind was having her dream about.

The two Alteans rushed into the room and toward the pod right away. "She should not be having a bad dream inside the pod," Allura mused, pressing buttons on the side of the pod. "We will have to force her exit right away."

And with the final push of a button, the pod opened with a pop and a hiss, and Pidge's shaking body came tumbling down as she weakly called out for her brother.

Matt was quick to catch her in his arms. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and gently rubbed her back. "Sshhh, you're okay," he soothed, tightly holding on to her.

"Matt, Matt," she frantically whispered, clinging to him.

The sight of her broke Shiro's heart. He had no clue what the duo had gone through, but clearly, it had traumatized her.

"You're okay," the older Holt reassured her, running a hand through her messy hair. "He's gone, now. I took care of him, he won't hurt you anymore."

Pidge shook her head. "He...He didn't hurt you? But...he was after you!"

Her brother smiled warmly at her, ignoring Shiro's sharp look sent his way. "No, Pidgey, he didn't." He wiped her tears with the back of his index finger. "He hurt you, though. You have to go back inside the pod now."

She only clung harder to him. "I-I can't let you go, I just got you back!"

Matt pondered for a few seconds. "Well, Shiro is forcing me into a pod too, right?"

The Black Paladin's eyes slightly widened, thankfully going unnoticed by the weeping girl. "Uh, yes, I am. He's exhausted from past events and the pod will give him rest. You should rest too."

"Yeah, I got tired carrying your heavy ass."

" _—_ _Language—_ "

"Meanie," she whined, pressing her face into the crook of his neck nonetheless. "M'not heavy..."

Matt shook his head with a fond smile. "You're not, but you're tired. C'mon, in the pod you go."

She finally looked up at him, her chestnut irises shining. "You'll be fine...?" she asked in a small voice. She looked so much younger, was allowed to act so much younger now that she had gotten her big brother back.

He cupped her cheek the same way she had when she had passed out back at his old lair. "Yes, and so will you."

"Promise?"

"I promise." He sealed the vow with a chaste kiss on her forehead.

Going back inside the pod was no longer an issue.

The next time she got out, she may have punched Matt for lying to her about going into the pod, but everything turned out for the better with a simple yet powerful hug.

Matt was back, and it was all that mattered.


End file.
